2009 UNC NPHC Homecoming Step Show Champions!!!

Swollen feet...tired muscles...extremely long practices...intense concentration. All dedicated for one moment.

Okay, enough with the inspirational, mystical introduction. But I couldn't think of a better way to announce the 2009 UNC-Chapel Hill National Pan-Hellenic Council Homecoming Step Show Champions: The Xi Gamma Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated!!!!!!! Yes, my fraternity won the step show for the second year in a row (third time in four years...can you say dynasty?) and won $1,000 for chapter! My brothers and I put MAJOR work for that one night to prove we are the best steppers on campus. While community service and scholarship are our primary focus, we love to have fun and stepping is a way show it.

Even though the step show wasn't until November 6, we started practicing for the show in AUGUST. We immediately started thinking of themes for the show and which steps would flow with the chosen theme the best. My brothers and I eventually landed on "The Dark Knight" and we all dressed up in royal blue vest with royal blue ties, black shirt, black dress pants, boots and the most important feature of all: Joker mask. We also painted our faces white with huge royal blue smiles. Our opening video was hilarious (similar to the ransom video in the actual movie), our music was on point and our steps were phenomenal. Great job brethren! (Be on the lookout for the video on Facebook and/or YouTube!)

After the performance, everyone was completely winded. But when they announced us as this year's winners, we all found the energy to rush the stage and jump around like crazy! It was my first time ever winning a step show competition, but hopefully it won't be the last. We have a couple more shows to perform at in the spring in Charlotte, Durham and Greensboro.

All in all, it was one of the best experience I've had since coming to UNC. I'll leave you with a two photos that tells the whole story. PEACE!!!!!

Thanksgiving Break!

Hey! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I am actually writing this post from the airport as I travel back to Chapel Hill. When I was confirming my travel plans earlier today, I was reminded of how convenient UNC makes traveling for students. The RDU airport is only about 25 minutes away from campus, and through the out of state student association (OSSA), free shuttles are provided. In order to take advantage of this service, you simply need to join the organization. Then a few weeks before the break, you log on to their website and sign up for a shuttle for the time and the location of where you want to be picked up. Then on the last day of break, a shuttle runs every hour from the airport back to campus. If you are an out of state student, I highly recommend taking advantage of this wonderful service. It not only saves money by not having to get a taxi, but it also allows you to travel with other Carolina students.

It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving break is already over! We have a week and a half left of classes, and then finals start! For all of you who are in high school, December means that application deadlines are approaching. I have two main pieces of advice pertaining to college applications. First of all, get the applications in as soon as you can. It is always better to get something done ahead of time than to wait until the day it is due! It will not only save you some stress, but if your high school is anything like mine, the guidance counselors need a few weeks to process your applications. Secondly, put your best effort into writing those essays! I feel that the essays are an important chance to say something about yourself that can't be quantified in your SAT scores and GPA. It is a chance to really show your personality, so take advantage of that opportunity!

Once you submit your applications, I strongly encourage you to visit the colleges that you have applied to. Until you walk on campus, it is hard to know what it is really like and whether or not you could actually see yourself there. Campus visits played a huge role in my decision and in the college decisions of many of the people that I know. In fact, the campus tour was so influential, that I have recently become part of the Carolina Admissions Ambassadors, through which I will give campus tours. Carolina Admissions Ambassadors is a phenomenal group of individuals who are involved in a wide range of activities around campus. For example, I met a fellow Ambassador who has travelled around the world and recently went to South America to volunteer in an orphanage. I also met someone who was a member of the Carolina Dance Team for two years, and she performed at all of the football and basketball games. I invite you to come to UNC and take a tour with one of these amazing students so that you can hear firsthand what it means to be a Tarheel!

This is Carolina...

These photos sum up the weekend after the most tiresome week of my life thus far. Carolina accepts students who are studious, hard working, dedicated and can contribute back to the world. Trust me, they want you to show them why you are a Carolina student at all times...

Carolina is the only place I can think of that will force you to do well and prove to yourself that you are a great student who can endure anything in college and prepare you for what you will experience in the life after college. I had 4 exams this week, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I was a bit nervous about this because I can barely deal with taking one exam a week but 4, I did not think I would make it out alive. I did and I bested my exams. Seemed like the pressure didn't allow me to think about stressing for the exams.

Even though I had a very tiring week, I was able to release that pressure by attending the football game on Saturday. Although I contemplated going at first, I figured since it was the last game and it was Miami U we were playing (Coach Davis' old team), it would be worth it. As you can see, I got a better surprise than expected. Hakeem Nicks showed up at the game and I was able to get a picture with him and able to see the Tar Heels take on a win against the Hurricanes!!!

Carolina gives you a very rigorous educational advantage BUT there is always a way to balance out that rigor. Here at Carolina, we WORK hard and PLAY hard. We are very fortunate to have so many opportunities to advance in so many different ways. That is the wonderful thing about being a Carolina student.

Rain: Menace or Metaphor?

The sky opens and unleashes a mighty torrent; thousands below pull their rain-jackets in around the effervescence of the color that dwells just above the brick and concrete slabs of each new day.

All poetry aside, Hurricane Ida has drenched campus for the past few days and I have to say I’ve really enjoyed it. Something about the chilling rain makes every smile I receive from passersby feel that much warmer. It’s really a matter of personal preference, but I have to say (with the exception of driving wind and mega-puddles) that I’ve been having fun in the downpour.

It would then seem an apt comparison to say that registering for spring classes brought just a little rain to the otherwise sunny experience of rounding out the fall semester. No, my time-slot wasn’t perfect, and no, I didn’t get everything I wanted… but there are some patches of azure within the great expanse of gray. I suppose, and I know this is going to sound like sentimentalism, that making the imperfect into the beautiful is a delicate and vital art in the progression of our days. I’ll have to try and make the best of it.

Now as we ask ourselves whether to be fashionable or to stay dry… I think we need to strike a balance; jeans still work, but for goodness sake wear a raincoat or carry an umbrella. There’s no reason (unless you like swimming in full cold-weather attire) to be without a little cover.

So zip your UNC hoodie all the way up and step into a pair of rain boots; there will always be sun tomorrow… at least for another 4.37 billion years.

P.S. ::: Shoes with good traction don’t work so well on tile floors. Levels 1-3 of Greenlaw have very nearly gotten a polishing from my face. Better doormats anyone?

-Noah-

A Postscript on Fun

“So what do you do for fun?”

Pick a number: (1) Go to football game; (2) Go to basketball game; (3) Go to Franklin Street on Halloween; (4) Watch free movies in the student union, some of which are advanced screenings; (5) Play an intramural sport; (6) Watch a play; (7) Practice a martial art; (8) Run a 5k; (9) Join the dance marathon.

Notice that my list does not include option (X) Get Wasted. When I was in high school, it was a self-evident truth that all college students could be found passed out or in a semi-conscious alcoholic daze any time. But if we forgot about all the movies that make college more ridiculous than it really is, we find something like a proliferation of options. Fun? Oh yes, we have plenty of that. The only question is, What do you want to do?

On a related note, it has come to my attention that some of my fellow UNC students do not find themselves having fun. It is not as if they are bogged down by school work—which can be avoided by choosing your schedule carefully—but because they feel that the school is at fault. Intellectual honesty requires me to acknowledge the fact that all is not well in paradise. My first year friends sometimes express their disappointment in the school, but when I ask them what is wrong, they hint vaguely that UNC is not the right school for them. When I ask why this is so, they do not give me a straight answer. They simply shrug their shoulders.

Now, far be it for me to say that UNC is the college for everyone. But I do think it is important that one rejects the opportunity to go to UNC for the right reasons. It is not good enough to have a hunch that the school is not for you. What if you go to another school and have that same hunch? Some good that did. Many first years are disappointed in UNC, or college in general, because they have unrealistic expectations (like the myth that all college students are functional alcoholics). It is important that you enter college with reasonable expectations and a good attitude. Otherwise, no college will ever satisfy you.

As Autumn pointed out, UNC is a big school and there are a myriad of avenues available to express yourself. We have a Monkey Kung-Fu club, for God’s sake. You can’t get any more niche than that. But at the same time, you cannot expect these organizations to hunt you down and drag you out of your room to their meetings. People are generally friendly and courteous, but it is not a small town atmosphere where everyone knows everyone. Getting involved in campus events requires a modicum of effort on your behalf.

College is what you make of it, so make of it what you will.*


*Make it fun!

Guanajuato, Mexico for Spring Break...It's for CLASS!

"Explore the local and global aspect of migration as you research and work with immigrants in receiving communities in North Carolina and spend spring break in immigrants' home communities in Guanajuato, Mexico."

I could not beleive it when I first saw this opportunity. Immigration has been a topic of great interest to me since high school. I come from a large family of Peruvian immigrants and have been very much connected with the Hispanic immigrant population for as long as I can remember. I feel that I have a good understanding of immigrant challenges faced in this country, but have failed to contextualize such perspectives and experiences in an academic setting. This course will enable me to contribute to studies and research specifically about Mexican immigration to the Chapel Hill-Carborro area. As part of the course, students will interview immigrants in the surrounding areas about their experiences in the US and the translation and transcription of such interviews will be publicly available for future research in the Wilson Library. After learning about immigrant experiences in NC, students will travel to Guanajuato, Mexico to gain better understanding of the reasons for migration in the first place.

After an application and interview process, 12 students have been selected for this course next semester and I'm so happy to share that I am one of them! I am now officially enrolled in INTS 390: Latin American Migrant Perspectives: Ethnography and Action, which will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:45 pm. The course will examine Latin American immigrant perspectives through a combination of anthropological fiedwork, migration theory, and service-learning.

For the first time, I will have the opportunity to explore the issue of migration from the other side of the border in Guanajuato, Mexico...and I can't honestly be more excited!

The End is Near...ish

It seems like I only just moved into my dorm in the pouring rain. Yesterday I registered for my second semester classes. Where did the time go? I mean, seriously, in a little more than a month I will have finished my first semester of college and 1/8th of my undergraduate career. In that time, I have:

- changed my major.

- watched the trees I can see from my dorm window turn a million different colors.

- discovered the joys of late-night delivery food.

- discovered the horrors of the late-night buses on weekends.

- danced with an umbrella in the middle of a crowd of around 500 people.

- nearly been hit by about 5 cars.

- broken the CD drive on my laptop.

- watched the Fed Challenge team win the regional competition (we beat dook!!!).

- bought a subscription for Turtle magazine for a patient in the Children's Hospital.

- had my first Franklin Street Halloween.

- been to two football games (since I'm slightly overloaded on classes this semester, I haven't been able to go to more, unfortunately).

- pulled several all-nighters.

- met tons of awesome new people.

- fallen in love with the most amazing university ever.

I can only hope that the rest of college will be as great as this semester has been. I've never worked harder in my life, but I've never had so much fun working hard. So far next semester is shaping up to look pretty good. My schedule currently includes History 140 (the world since 1945); Astronomy 101; Biology 101 with lab; English 080 (a Southern Women’s Rhetoric seminar thingy…not my first choice but it takes care of several general education requirements); and a psychology class that I’m intending to drop because it’s the wrong class for my major. I intend to add something else later, but at the moment choices are somewhat limited. Once people start dropping classes, I can snatch up a spot in a better one, like the Econ 420 class that filled up super-fast before freshman were allowed to registered.

Finally, a quick word on first-year seminars – take them. They are small classes about specific topics, and they only include freshmen. I’m currently taking a seminar on public policy, and next semester I’m taking the English one. Since they’re relatively discussion oriented, it’s pretty easy to get a good grade in them as long as you’re willing to do the reading involved. There are tons to choose from, so once you get to CTOPS figure out one or two that you might like and try to get in them. They are absolutely worth your time.

For those of you who have recently submitted your early admission applications, I’m sure you’re thankful to have them out of the way. While you’re waiting for your letters, don’t stress. Enjoy your time as a high school senior. It goes fast, and college is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. No matter what you’ve heard from your friends who are already there, you still have no idea what you’re in for, because your experience will be completely different from theirs. No matter where you go, I can only hope that it will be wonderful for you. In the meantime, if you have any questions about anything, feel free to comment to this post. Enjoy the fall and your Thanksgiving!

Love, Brink

Homecoming Parade and Football Game!

I've been up since 5:30 this morning!
Reason: Finishing up a seven page paper for my
HIST 292H: Fascism, Communism, and the Camps class at 1pm. It was tough to write because the topic, in itself, is so complicated! But now it's done and I'm happy!

I should have used the weekend to get ahead, but how can you focus when there is a homecoming football game against DUKE?!?! Okay so I admit that I'm not a huge football fan but I love home games during the weekend because EVERYONE (I mean it!) is decked out in Carolina gear...Our school pride is absolutely beautiful! The game was fun, especially because we beat Duke and the weather was great! Before the game, around 11:30, I joined CHispA (Carolina Hispanic Association) to march in our first Homecoming parade ever. Various organizations marched in the parade, which was a great way to publicly display the wide array of groups on this campus. The students that marched with CHispA are in the picture above (People wearing black are also Carolina students...they just decided to wear their CHispA shirt since we didn't have a big banner to represent our organization on campus).

Also part of Homecoming events for students was the Fabolous concert last weekend and the Anoop concert last night! I love Carolina! :)

Fall updates

Hello all! Midterms are over, the leaves have begun to fall and we students are hunkering down to write the numerous papers that teachers usually assign to us at this time of the school year. I'm simultaneously working on a case analysis for my Civil Liberties class, a presentation on the effect of race and religiosity on people's stance on government welfare for my Public Opinion class, and a paper on post-Communist European integration of the Czech Republic for 20th Century Europe. I'm a little busy, to say the least.

But despite all the paperwork, campus is bustling with activity. In the Pit, recruitment for the Dance Marathon is in full swing, as is campaigning for homecoming king/queen candidates. Later today, I'll be joining the Young Democrats in writing letters to Senator Kay Hagan to lobby for health care reform, and I'll be stopping by the German Club's celebration of the 20th anniversary since the fall of the Berlin Wall (speakers and refreshments, how can I resist?). I love that my schoolwork here is challenging and sometimes a little time-consuming, but it's never so burdensome that I can't still participate in my favorite activities. And that's a good thing, since there is always so much cool stuff going on.

Well, that's enough about me. I'll post again when I re-emerge from the mountain of papers I have to write.

'Til next time,
Olga :o)

Big v. Small School

One of my friends visited a friend from another school over Fall Break. When we were asking her about her trip, one of the first things she said is that she is so glad she came to UNC. She said that this other school was smaller and that nearly everything to do was off campus.

One important factor to consider as you are choosing colleges and starting applications is the size of the school. I am from a small town, so the natural reaction is often, "I could never go to a big school." But before you settle on that decision, let me tell you some reasons why I love the "bigness" of Carolina.

1. Making friends is actually quite easy. There are hundreds and hundreds of organizations catered to almost every interest imaginable. This allows for an easy way to connect with people who have something in common with you.

2. The university can simply offer more services to you as a big school. We have 42 libraries, two dining hall options, a HUGE student union, and two gyms. The buildings are beautiful. And you will not get lost, I promise. The campus is very easy to navigate, so after your first week or two, you will have no problems finding anything.

3. The university is dedicated to helping you. Yesterday I went to the University Career Services. A lady specialized in my field of study helped me use internet services provided for students here in order to start my job search. She also showed me a huge database of Carolina alumni who are willing to help students get started in their careers.

4. SPORTS! I love the excitement that comes with all of the sporting events at Carolina. You aren't going to find a campus any more alive than Carolina during basketball season. And we're getting there for football, too. :)

5. You must consider the prestige of the university. True, a college degree is a college degree. However, when an employer sees that you studied here at Carolina, they know that you are coming to them with an education from one of the best universities in the nation.


While this list could probably keep going, I think you get the main ideas! There are benefits at times to having a small school, but overall I think you will find that most of those benefits exist also in a larger setting here at UNC.


If you have any questions, please feel free to post to this blog. I would love to help you!